Equatorial Atlantic, West Africa:Transform Basins of Côte d'Ivoire

Petroci and Core Laboratories are pleased to present this new study proposal which aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date geological evaluation of well data from the Equatorial Atlantic Cote d’Ivoire Transform Margin. This fully integrated project database, incorporating stratigraphy, reservoir description, regional geology, seal rock analysis and geochemistry, will utilize rock material and well log data from a total of ~90 wells and 4 boreholes along the margin. In addition to providing an improved understanding of the sedimentation patterns of the drilled regions, this rock-based fundamental geology database will provide ‘ground truth’ data for interpreting the location of the main sediment transport pathways and sand-filled depocentres within the under-explored deepwater blocks on the margin where currently seismic evaluation is the only option.

This proposed 2017/2018 study will represent a significant update to the Cote D’Ivoire datasets previously presented to the industry by Petroci and Core Laboratories, which comprised a shelfal well evaluation in 2011 (57 wells) and a subsequent deepwater extension in 2014 (13 wells and four boreholes). Due to ongoing high industry interest in the Equatorial Atlantic region as a whole, there has been significant recent drilling activity on the Ivorian margin, including key exploration wells in the deepwater outboard part of the margin (~20 wells), together with additional exploration and appraisal wells within established inboard basins.

The well log datasets and rock sample suites generated during these recent drilling campaigns provide important additional geological information, which is critically required in order to improve exploration and appraisal models and play concepts on the margin. It is therefore imperative that we incorporate this newly acquired well data into our digital regional geology database, in order to gain maximum value from the recent exploration expenditure and effort.

An important objective of our proposed study therefore is to provide a fully integrated, up-to-date regional database of all rock and log material as a comprehensive reference source for the evaluation of existing and new play concepts across the Ivorian Transform Margin. Detailed geological analysis of the full drilled succession in recent key wells across the margin will allow higher resolution reconstruction of basin evolution through time and help to further elucidate the relationship between the major structural elements and the lateral and vertical distribution of sands and shales across the region. Recently acquired rock data will also provide important details regarding the nature and extent of volcanic activity during the evolution of the Ivorian Margin.